#🕸️: ensnaredearl

[navyciel]

( reply to this.) - @ensnaredearl

Ciel let out a sigh, crossing arms over chest as he soon shook his head. He placed a hand up and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Ciel felt slightly annoyed by Alois' remark but was quick to move along to explain his meaning, " I am not running away from anything or anyone, Trancy. I merely.. I merely want us to be equals, that is all."

Was that really such a hard concept? Was it truly so hard for people to understand that Ciel just wanted the respect and recognition he so deserved? If that recognition turned out to be fear and hatred then so be it for it would still be recognition all the same.

Ciel works really hard to be the Earl he needs to be. It is not so easy to be keep such a cool head all the time, especially around Alois Trancy of all people but the bluette had always been a quick study.

" This may come as a shock but I truly do admire the way you can remain so positive. I do not know how you do it, considering we both went through similar things."

Admitting that was also difficult as he did not know how Alois would react or if Alois would even take it seriously at all. Ciel mentally prepared himself for whatever reaction may come though.

He looked up at the taller boy and did his best attempt at a friendly smile but Ciel only was able to manage a half smile with his sapphire eye looking at the space above Alois' head.

" I truly believe we ought to be equals now." Ciel was very much not having a good time right now but he needed to know if he and Alois were on the same page or not. He may be over explaining a little but he was quite nervous. he took a breath and proceeded to ask the following question, " Do you.. do you still wish to be my friend?"

Wow! What a relief to get that out into the open!

Ciel wasn't out of the woods yet though. He still needed to see if Alois even cared. Alois might just laugh right in Ciel's face or pour a drink on his head. There wasn't exactly a line up of child Earls available for Ciel to choose from though. Therefore, it was either befriend Alois Trancy or continue living without somebody who truly understands what Ciel is going through.

Ciel found himself caught up in a possible delusion that perhaps he and Alois were friends or at least have grown to become friends. It was foolish, Ciel knew.

Alois never displayed a single sign of liking Ciel but yet Ciel found himself hoping to be wrong.

It was childish. Ciel could be solving a murder right now but instead he was choosing to solve the mystery of Does Alois Trancy Like Me? - Ciel suspected the answer to be no but he could find the evidence that points to yes. Ciel just was not all that great at picking up on social cues.

" I.. I do not have a lot of friends myself." Ciel admitted to the older boy while glancing away, gently playing with the string of his eye patch out of nervousness, " I have not the slightest idea on how to even go about making friends- Heck! I hardly have any idea on how I managed to befriend Soma or Sullivan."

[navyciel]

" I must admit that I did not suspect you to be your own mystery guest."

Ciel facepalmed and let out a sigh upon hearing the reveal of the mystery guest. He really did try his best to think of who it could have possibly been but it seems he had been nowhere close to having gotten it right.

" It seems I will not be getting my hands on that ledger after all but regardless, I wish you a happy birthday, Earl Trancy."

Ciel felt quite defended. He hadn't really predicted this outcome but a part of him figured that he cought to have known Alois would pull something like this. Nevertheless, it was Alois' birthday and Ciel decided to remain as civil as he could.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀❛ My birthday! How splendid, Claude better have made my favorite dish! The ball was such a turnaround. Did someone get the clue I was the mystery guest? I forgot ❜

[navyciel]

( reply to Alois Trancy / @ensnaredearl )

Quietly observing the others while enjoying a slice of Strawberry cake, Ciel had kept mostly to himself as per usual.

He was never one for parties or any kind of social event. He had been given a mask that reminded him of an Oni. An Oni being a type of yōkai, demon, orc, ogre or troll that originated from Japanese folklore.

People would often throw nuts at Oni due to the fact an Oni was bad luck to have around.

Is this how Alois Trancy viewed him or was he just hoping to throw rocks at Ciel out of pure amusement? The latter was more likely. Trancy must really think Ciel a walking joke.

He eventually caught word from Alois himself that the fellow Earl had no plus-one. Alois still had no fiancée, it seemed. Alois was single and most likely to die alone. Everyone dies alone.

" Oh? You still have not a single maiden or sir, Earl Trancy?"

Ciel gave up a somewhat playful sneer as he teased the older boy about the lack of a date to Trancy's own party. The bluette himself fortunately had his fiancée, Elizabeth Midford. She.. just happened to be busy talking to her friends and thus Ciel had busied himself with checking out the deserts.

[navyciel]

" huh? trancy.." his sapphire eye glanced over the poll. it wouldn't be long before his finger had touched one of the options, revealing-

" huh!?" he exclaimed in confusion as he took a closer look at the poll, " I meant kill, not kiss!"

it would appear that the young earl had mistaken kiss for kill but only now saw his grave mistake.

" .. I wondered why there were two options for kill.." mumbling to himself as he placed a hand to his forehead and soon letting a small sigh escape his lips. curse his poor depth perception..